Taximeter and signal operating mechanism therefor



April 19, 1932, .5 ,gHEuA 1,854,587

TAXIMETER AND SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFGR Filed Aug. 20, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Inventor 2/ flllomey:

Aprii 19, 1932. D. ISHBIA 1,854,587

7 TAXIMETER AND SIGNAL OPERATING MECHANISM THEREFOR Filed Aug. 20, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invcnlor Patented Apr. 19, 1932 rates DAVID ISHBIA, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

Application filed August 20, 1931. Serial No. 558,212.

This invention relates to signs adapted to be used on taxicabs and the like taximetered devices so as to indicate whether the same are occupied or vacant. This in vention is an improvement in the invention disclosed and claimed in copending application Serial No. 466,482 filed July 8, 1930, entitled Variable illuminated sign.

The particular type of illuminated sign disclosed and claimed in my co-pending application comprises an illuminated panel mounted upon the taxicab, in front of which is positioned a slidable shutter arranged and adapted to uncover in one position the word Vacant and in a second position the word Occupied. Means are provided to shift the shutter to either position to correspond with the position of the taximeter flag which is located within the body of the cab. I

Ordinarily the taximeter includes a lever arm to which is attached a taxi flag or sign, which lever arm is adapted to render the meter device operative and inoperative. Usually when the lever arm is in an upright position the meter is inoperative; when in a downward position the meter is operative. The taxi flag, therefore, usually carries the word Vacant which is displayed when the lever arm is extending upward. j 30 In my prior application it was one of the objects to provide means to automatically operate the shutter of the luminous sign when the lever arm of the taximeter is moved from the inoperative to the operative position and vice versa.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide an improved automatic means to operate the illuminated sign shutter.

Another object of this invention is to provide a unit shutter operating device adapted to be attached to a standard taximeter without altering the same.

Another object of the present invention is to improve the automatic operation of the illuminated sign of my prior invention.

Other objects .and advantages will be apparent as the invention is more fully disclosed. I

In accordance with the objects of my invention I have devised an improved auto.-

dicated in Fig. 1 the letters in the illuminated matic shutter operating means which comprises a compact unit mechanism adapted to be attached directly to the taximeter lever shaft and thence through an extensible memher to the movable shutter of the luminous sign, and adapted to displace the shutter from one to another position and return upon movement of the taximeter lever arm from the inoperative to operative position and'return.

Before further disclosing the nature and scope of the present invention reference should be made to the accompanying drawings wherein- Fig. l is a front elevation of a portion of a taxicab showing the illuminated sign po-' sitioned therein;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation'of the same;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged'plan view partly in section showing theelements of the present invention;

Fig. 4 is a view taken along plan-e 44.-, Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of the unit shutter operating means of the present invention;

Fig. 6 is a second view of the same showing the element-sin operating engagement;

Fig. 7 is a third view of the same;

Fig. 8 is a fourth view ofthesame;

Fig. 9 is a perspective view of the casing enclosing the operating elements; I

Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the remaining elements comprising the unit shutter operating means; and .5 Fig. 11 is a perspective View of the shaft adapter of the unit shutter operating means. Referring to the drawings Figs. 1, 2 and 8, an illuminated sign 1 is mounted upon the body of a taxicab 2 preferably in the po- 9 sition shown, and connected by suitable means 3 to a taximeter 4. in such manner that when the taximeter lever arm supporting flag 5 is in the upright or Vacant position 1nsign 1' shall spell the word Vacant, and

whenthe flag 5 is in the depressed or Occupied position indicated in Fig. 2 the letters in the illuminated sign 1 shall spell the word Occupied.

The particular manner in which the taximeter flag 5 and illuminated sign 1 are coordinated is shown in greater detail in Fig. 3. The illuminated sign is comprised of an illuminated panel and a shutter 11, comprised of a plurality of slidably connecting metalsheetseachhaving aplurality of openings therein, the openings coinciding in one position to spell out the word Vacant in illuminated letters, and in a second position to spell out the word Occupied in similar illuminated letters.

Means 3 are provided 'to shift'the shutter from one position to the other, comprising spring tension members '12 and 13jflexible cable .lrtand wire '15 interiorly positioned in cable .14. wire is attached atone end to oneuend-of spring tension member 13. The

other endof spring 13 is attached to one of the slidable shutters 11. One end-of spring member 12 isattached-to theother end of the slidableshutterll.andthe other end of spring shutter :11 against the tension in spring 12.

When the force exerted to displace the shutter [is released the tension in spring 12 will 'returnitheshutter to its first position.

I apply the necessary forceorpull upon-wire 15 by the device and mechanism illustrated -withparticularity in Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive. The end of wire 15 is attached to a toothed member 16 which is adapted to be meshed with a:gear '17. Gear 17 is keyed to shaft 17 which is adapted to be secured upon shaft 319 (Fig. 4') of theta-ximeter soas to be =ro'tatable therewith. Tooth :member 16 and gear 17 are enclosed within a housing comprisedof sheet metal and preferably shaped and formed in two sections 20 and 2 1-as illustrated in Fig. 9.

In theusual tax imeter device when the flag (5 is in the upright or vacant position-the taximeter is in an inoperative position. When the-fiag5 "is depressed to the position indicated "in Fig. '2 the taximeter is in an operative position. The taximeter is fixed so that the meter flag and shaft 19 may be rotated only in one direction, so that the flag must be returned to the uprightor vacant position by a completion of the 360 rotation of the flag5. This is indicated by arrows upon the ;fia g 5 in Figs. 5 to 8 inclusive.

"Therefore when the shutter 11 is in positionto form the word Vacant to correspond with the flag 5 thetoothedmember 16 must be .=in.a position :to the left of the gear 17 as indicated in Fig.5 and the cutaway portion of the gear 17 must be positioned as indicated. As the.fiag.5 is-depressed to a'downward position the meshing of the teeth of gear 17 with the teeth of member 16 is adapted to move the member 16 preferably from left to right so as to exert a pull upon wire 15 thus moving shutter 11 from its fixed position against the tension of spring 12. A reverse rotation of shaft 19 is impossible so the tension of springl2 doesnot-tend .to disturb the fixed position ofithe elements until a complete rotation of the shaft is obtained and the cut away portion of the gear 17 appears. The spring tension means 12 is then used as a means of returning the member 16 and shutter 11 'to'the desiredinitial position when the .gear 17 has completed its rotation and flag "5 is again in an upright or vacant position.

Many modifications and adaptations'of the shutter operating means of the present invention may :be devised but that illustrated in Figs. 4 to 11 inclusive appears to be the most practical under present conditions. The parts illustrated maybe assembled into a compact unit within :the housing 20 and shaft 18 may be provided with an extension 22on one end that-is adapted tobe positioned on the end of shaft 19 in place of flag 5 and to beepinned or keyed thereto inany convenient manner. For illustration purposes pins 23 areshown in Fig. 10. The-other end of the shaft 18 maybe provided with an extension that is adapted to serve to position flag 5 thereon. Gear 16 may be pinned 'or keyeditoshaft 18orthesha-ft may be squared or shaped in any convenient manner to receive thegear. Means are provided .at one end to attach wire 15 'to member 16.

The assembled shutter operating means merely needs to be mounted upon the taxi- .meter shaft 19 as illustrated in Fig. 4c and wire 15 attached to member 16 as indicated in thedrawings.

Having broadly and specifically described -.the present invention, such modifications-and departures from the specificembodiment disclosed herein are contemplated as may fall within the scope of the following claims.

NVhat I claim is:

1. Anilluminatedsign for taxicabs and'the like devices, utilizing a taximeter including a lever for rendering the meter operativeand inoperative, comprising a sign housingadap't- 'ed tobe supported upon a cab, an illuminated pane]. therein, and a movable shutter therefor adapted to be displaced into -a plurality of positions and to uncover in one position one set of illuminated letters, and in a second position another set of illuminated letters, spring tension means to retain the shutter in a predetermined fixed position, means operatively-oonnected to the lever arm of said meter device to displace the shutter from its fixed position when the lever is thrown from the inoperative to the operative position, said means comprising an extensible wire member adapted at one end to 'engage the shutter at a side opposite to the side thereof engaged by the spring tension means and adapted at the other end to be connected to the lever arm through means comprising a movable member adapted to be meshed with a rotatable gear keyed upon the lever arm shaft, the degree of movement imparted to the movable member by a rotating of the gear being sufficient in amount to effect the desired tensional displacement of said shutter and means to release the displacing means upon a return of the lever to its first position.

2. An illuminated sign for taxicabs and the like devices, utilizing a taximeter including a lever for rendering the meter operative and inoperative, comprising a sign housing adapted to be supported upon a cab, an illuminated panel therein, and a movable shutter therefor adapted to be displaced into a plurality of positions and to uncover in one position one set of illuminated letters, and in a second position another set of illuminated letters, spring tension means to retain the shutter in a predetermined fixed position, means operatively connected to the lever arm of said meter device to displace the shutter from its fixed position when the lever is thrown from the inoperative to the operative position, said means comprising an extensible wire member adapted at one end to engage the shutter at a side opposite to the side thereof engaged by the spring tension means and adapted at the other end to be connected to the lever arm through means comprising a movable member adapted to be meshed with a rotatable gear keyed upon the lever arm shaft, the degree of movement imparted to the movable member by a rotating of the gear being sufficient in amount to efiect the desired tensional displacement of said shutter and means to release the displacing means upon a return of the lever to its first position comprising adapting the gear through the provision of a cut away periphery section to release the movable member, the spring tension means thereby functioning to return the shutter and movable toothed member to their preferred and fixed position.

3. In combination a taximeter including a lever arm for rendering the meter operative and inoperative, an illuminated sign includ- "ing an illuminated panel, and a movable shutter adapted to uncover in one position one set of illuminated letters on said panel and in a second position a second set, of letters, and means to move said shutter, said means comprising a cut gear keyed to a shaft adapted to be attached to the lever arm shaft of said meter, a movable member adapted to mesh through a prescribed orientation with said out gear, an extensible member connected at one end with said movable member and at the other end with the movable shutter, and spring tension means adapted to return the shutter and movable member to their first positions upon a termination of the preferred orientation of said gear.

4:. A device adapted to be mounted upon a taximeter lever shaft comprising a housing, a movable toothed member contained therein, a cut gear adapted to intermesh with said toothed member through a prescribed orientation about its axis, a shaft extending through the housing and carrying said gear keyed thereto, adapter means to attach one end of the shaft to the taximeter lever shaft so as to rotate therewith, and means to attach the movable toothed member to an extensible wire member.

5. In an illuminated sign adapted for use on a taxicab and the like devices utilizing a meter device including a lever adapted to render the meter operative and inoperative, means coordinating the legend of said sign with the operative and inoperative position of said lever, comprising a housing, a toothed movable member and a cut gear member adapted to intermesh therewith contained in said housing, a shaft extending therethrough upon which the cut gear is keyed, means to attach one end of said shaft to the lever shaft,

means to attach the lever arm to the other end of said shaft, and means to connect the toothed movable member to the sign legend operating means.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

DAVID ISHBIA. 

